# 1985–86 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1985–86 season was Stoke City's 79th season in the Football League and 26th in the Second Division.
After the previous season's humiliating relegation, Stoke's new manager Mick Mills had the tough task of restoring the club's pride. An early 6–2 victory over Leeds United certainly helped to boost morale but with poor crowds Stoke were never going to be involved in the race for promotion and with the squad considered too good to be relegated again a mid-table position of 10th was the final outcome in a season of recovery.

## Season review
### League

Following last season's debacle, Stoke had the chance to rebuild with their new manager Mick Mills and his assistant Sammy Chung. The Victoria Ground was in a state of depression as there was no money available whatsoever and the fans had deserted the team in their droves. The average attendance had dropped to below 10,000 and there was a genuine concern that the side could fall all the way to the Third Division and there was no doubt that Mills had an enormous task on his hands.
Stoke had a surprisingly good pre-season reaching the final of the Isle of Man Trophy, losing to Blackburn Rovers. But they suffered a 3–1 defeat at home to Sheffield United on the opening day in their first Second Division fixture for six years. But the fans finally had something to cheer about in their next home match as Mark Chamberlain rediscovered his lost form and starred in a 6–2 victory over Leeds United. Money was still a major problem and Sheffield Wednesday moved in to sign Chamberlain for £300,000.
The board hoped that this money would be available for Mills to spend on new players but instead it had to be used to reduce the club's overdraft. Alan Hudson, struggling with injury, decided to retire in November and Mills quickly brought in John Devine from Norwich City; he also promoted youth team player Neil Adams to the first team and he did well as results slowly started to improve. Paul Dyson was sold to West Bromwich Albion and Tony Kelly was signed from Wigan Athletic before the March transfer deadline and with Stoke out of all three cups and no worry of a relegation or promotion race they played out the final league fixtures without any pressure and finished in 10th position.

### FA Cup

For the third season running Stoke failed to make it past the third round losing to Notts County.

### League Cup

Stoke beat Fourth Division Welsh side Wrexham before losing away at Portsmouth.

### Full Members' Cup

With English clubs banned from UEFA competitions due to the Heysel Stadium disaster the FA set up the Full Members' Cup as a replacement. Stoke lost to Oxford United at the semi-final stage.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 8 | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 62 | 61 | +1 | 60 |
| 9 | Millwall | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 64 | 65 | −1 | 59 |
| 10 | Stoke City | 42 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 57 |
| 11 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 64 | 64 | 0 | 56 |
| 12 | Barnsley | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 47 | 50 | −3 | 56 |

## Results

Stoke's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 17 August 1985 | Sheffield United | H | 1–3 | 11,679 | Heath 44' |
| 2 | 24 August 1985 | Barnsley | A | 0–0 | 6,598 | |
| 3 | 26 August 1985 | Leeds United | H | 6–2 | 7,047 | Berry 15', Bertschin (2) 55', 83', Chamberlain (2) 77', 88', Maskery 75' |
| 4 | 1 September 1985 | Bradford City | A | 1–3 | 6,999 | Painter 18' |
| 5 | 4 September 1985 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–1 | 7,362 | Chamberlain 89' |
| 6 | 7 September 1985 | Millwall | H | 0–0 | 7,187 | |
| 7 | 10 September 1985 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–1 | 4,255 | Parkin 80' |
| 8 | 14 September 1985 | Portsmouth | A | 0–3 | 13,720 | |
| 9 | 21 September 1985 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–2 | 8,858 | |
| 10 | 28 September 1985 | Crystal Palace | H | 0–0 | 7,130 | |
| 11 | 5 October 1985 | Hull City | A | 2–0 | 6,890 | Bertschin 10', Saunders 73' |
| 12 | 12 October 1985 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 1–1 | 7,662 | Maskery 64' |
| 13 | 19 October 1985 | Fulham | A | 0–1 | 4,007 | |
| 14 | 25 October 1985 | Wimbledon | H | 0–0 | 6,708 | |
| 15 | 2 November 1985 | Huddersfield Town | H | 3–0 | 7,291 | Heath 12', Shaw 43', Bertschin 66' |
| 16 | 9 November 1985 | Carlisle United | A | 0–3 | 2,813 | |
| 17 | 16 November 1985 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 6,469 | Bertschin 53' (pen) |
| 18 | 23 November 1985 | Oldham Athletic | A | 4–2 | 4,817 | Bertschin (2) 35', 60', Heath 44', Maskery 49' |
| 19 | 30 November 1985 | Sunderland | H | 1–0 | 9,034 | Bertschin 80' |
| 20 | 7 December 1985 | Middlesbrough | H | 3–2 | 7,646 | Berry 25', Adams 33', Bertschin 55' |
| 21 | 14 December 1985 | Sheffield United | A | 2–1 | 12,370 | Adams 7', Shaw 46' |
| 22 | 21 December 1985 | Barnsley | H | 0–0 | 9,856 | |
| 23 | 26 December 1985 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 0–1 | 9,565 | |
| 24 | 1 January 1986 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 2–2 | 11,875 | Bertschin 33' (pen), Adams 36' |
| 25 | 11 January 1986 | Millwall | A | 3–2 | 4,611 | Donowa 15', Painter 17', Bertschin 71' |
| 26 | 18 January 1986 | Bradford City | H | 3–1 | 8,808 | Shaw 41', Bertschin (2) 48', 82' |
| 27 | 25 January 1986 | Grimsby Town | A | 3–3 | 4,523 | Shaw 10', Bertschin 22', Adams 44' |
| 28 | 1 February 1986 | Leeds United | A | 0–4 | 10,425 | |
| 29 | 18 February 1986 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | 6,449 | Devine 9' |
| 30 | 22 February 1986 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–0 | 9,297 | |
| 31 | 8 March 1986 | Hull City | H | 0–1 | 9,112 | |
| 32 | 15 March 1986 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–2 | 8,783 | |
| 33 | 18 March 1986 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–0 | 4,501 | Bertschin 36' |
| 34 | 29 March 1986 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–0 | 5,408 | Saunders 76' |
| 35 | 31 March 1986 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 2–2 | 8,988 | Bertschin (2) 13', 63' (1 pen) |
| 36 | 5 April 1986 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–2 | 5,750 | |
| 37 | 12 April 1986 | Carlisle United | H | 0–0 | 7,159 | |
| 38 | 19 April 1986 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 17,757 | Bertschin 65' |
| 39 | 22 April 1986 | Portsmouth | H | 2–0 | 8,529 | Berry 17', Heath 45' |
| 40 | 26 April 1986 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–0 | 8,585 | Shaw 40', Bertschin 47' |
| 41 | 29 April 1986 | Wimbledon | A | 0–1 | 5,959 | |
| 42 | 3 May 1986 | Sunderland | A | 0–1 | 20,631 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R3 | 13 January 1986 | Notts County | H | 0–2 | 12,219 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 24 September 1985 | Wrexham | A | 1–0 | 5,241 | Bertschin 49' |
| R2 2nd Leg | 9 October 1985 | Wrexham | H | 1–0 | 6,784 | Bertschin 80' |
| R3 | 29 October 1985 | Portsmouth | A | 0–2 | 13,319 | |

### Full Members' Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| Group match 1 | 18 September 1985 | Coventry City | H | 3–0 | 3,516 | Bertschin 44' (pen), Saunders 49', Beeston 56' |
| Group match 2 | 2 October 1985 | Millwall | A | 2–2 | 1,741 | Bertschin 54' (pen), Maskery 82' |
| Area semi final | 6 November 1985 | Oxford United | H | 0–1 | 5,820 | |

### Isle of Man Trophy

| Round | Opponent | Result |
| Group match 1 | Wigan Athletic | 3–0 |
| Group match 2 | Manchester City | 2–1 |
| Group match 3 | Isle of Man | 5–0 |
| Semi Final | Carlisle United | 1–0 |
| Final | Blackburn Rovers | 0–1 |

### Friendlies

| Match | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| 1 | Port Vale | H | 1–1 |
| 2 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–2 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–1 |
| 4 | Port Vale | A | 1–0 |
| 5 | Stafford Rangers | A | 1–0 |
| 6 | Congleton Town | A | 1–1 |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Full Members' Cup | Full Members' Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Peter Fox | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| GK | Barry Siddall | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| DF | Charlie Bishop | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DF | Phil Bonnyman | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| DF | Steve Bould | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| DF | Aaron Callaghan | 6(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(2) | 0 |
| DF | John Devine | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| DF | Paul Dyson | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| DF | Chris Hemming | 23(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26(1) | 0 |
| DF | Mick Mills | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| MF | Neil Adams | 31(1) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38(1) | 4 |
| MF | Carl Beeston | 2(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3(3) | 1 |
| MF | George Berry | 41 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 3 |
| MF | Alan Hudson | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| MF | Tony Kelly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Chris Maskery | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 4 |
| MF | Steve Parkin | 10(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16(2) | 1 |
| MF | Terry Williams | 3(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 5(5) | 0 |
| FW | Keith Bertschin | 42 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 49 | 23 |
| FW | Mark Chamberlain | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| FW | Alan Curtis | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | Louie Donowa | 4 | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(1) | 1 |
| FW | Phil Heath | 38 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 4 |
| FW | Ian Painter | 15(4) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16(4) | 2 |
| FW | Carl Saunders | 33(4) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2(1) | 1 | 38(5) | 3 |
| FW | Graham Shaw | 19(1) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 20(2) | 5 |
| FW | Dave Sutton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |